Windows XP IBM Desktop Audio

seekermeister

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May 29, 2009
I just bought an old IBM M52 8215D1U desktop that the audio doesn't seem to work on. From what I have read, it has an integrated audio chip, which appears in the Device Manager without indicating any problems with it, but the computer has no internal speakers, and plugging external speakers into it doesn't provide any sound.

I didn't spend very much time with it running, but on a quick scan, I didn't see any audio control on the Taskbar (XP SP1), and there are no external controls on the desktop. Under the circumstances, I'm figuring that the integrated audio is kaput, but the computer has an empty PCI slot on a riser that should accommodate a sound card add on (see item 12 on the link below).

http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/detail.page?LegacyDocID=MIGR-60453

The question remains that since there are no physical audio controls on the computer, and I didn't see any on the OS, how would one control such things such as the volume?
 
Have you tried installing the sound driver for it? Did you check in the services to see if it was enabled? You should also install SP3 for it as well. It's missing a lot of updates. I'd update the system first completely through MS.
 
As I said, the Device Manager does show that the driver is installed and the device working properly, but no, I didn't check it in services. That will be the next thing on the agenda. I may be getting the cart before the horse, but I wanted to see if I could solve the auido problem, before putting any more money or much more time into it. As things stand, I only have $20 invested in it, and extremelly little time. I bought this mostly on a whim, because I thought it was too cheap to pass up.

I have considered buying a cheap sound card for it, because I can buy an inexpensive sound card for it, because there is enough room for it. The only thing that I'm unsure of at the moment is if the distance from the top of the PCI slot to the top of the external slot is sufficient for mounting. I imagine that it is, but will have to check further. The question remans whether there should be any internal volume control, or if I would have to use speakers with their own volume control?
 
If you do go for an add/on PCI sound card, and with that PC that looks to be a slim line design, just make sure you get a low profile PCI sound card. The Do make a USB sound cards, which I happen to have one and use. It's made by Creative, called the Creative sound blaster X-Fi GO. It has a mini stereo sound driver/software plus 3.5 mm jack...works great.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Creativ...Card/1173369.p?id=1218230515852&skuId=1173369
 
The idea of an external sound card doesn't particularly excite me. What I've been looking at is this:

http://us.store.creative.com/Creative-Sound-Blaster-Audigy-SE-PCI/M/B000LP0R3E.htm

Primarily because it appear to be the only internal PCI card that Creative is now producing, and because I'm certain that it wouldn't have any problem fitting inside the case. However it doesn't look as though it comes with a low profile mounting plate (not sure yet that it really needs one).

I do know that card doesn't have the sound quality of their better cards, how about your USB card, how would it compare with their top end cards for sound quality?
 
Like I said, if you're going with a PCI card...just make sure its a low profile, which that one does look like. There are other brands other than Creative to choose from.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...iption=low+profile+sound+card&N=-1&isNodeId=1

That little usb sound card adapter is THX certified....great digital stereo sound. I just use it for my headset (Razer Carcharias gaming headset). One of my 3.5mm jacks went out on my case (front panel), so I found this little gem to make do...best $40 I've spent. I would recommend it to anyone.
 
I think the reason that you are emphasing low profile is because you are assuming that the card would sit vertically and be limited by the height of the case, which it isn't. It has a riser card on which the PCI slot is oriented horizontally, thus the card inserted into it has the entire open space on the left side across the top of the case into which to fit.
 
I dug around the closet and found my old Audigy 2 ZS card (Inoperative), and checked it against the space available in the case, and it fits like a glove. The only problem that I now see is that I can't seem to be able to remove the external slot cover. Unlike a regular case in which they are held by a single screw, this has no screws. the top is held in place with a sort of clip, and the bottom has an odd tab which fits through the slot, sandwiching the case between it and the inside portion. I tried to pry one off with a screw driver, but it will not be easy. The screwdriver slipped and the point hit the motherboard (don't see any damage), so I'm going to proceed more cautionly. Even after it's removed, it leave the question of how to secure the sound card to the slot, because I see no screw hole on top, and even more of a problem, the mounting plate on all the sound cards that I know about do not have that extra tab I mentioned. Normally the bottom is just placed between the edge of the motherboard and the case, but the motherboard doesn come very close to the back of the case, so that wouldn't work. Can some special plate be purchased to replace the one that comes on the cards?
 
Double check your documentation or grab the hardware replacement guide from here http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/guides-and-manuals/default.page? download the pdf and look under replacing an adapter.
On these proprietary cases you need to look for a tab, possibly a spring tab or a tab with a set screw to unlock the assembly and lift it out vertically to add or remove or replace an adapter.
The unit should take any standard pci card.
 
Your link works, but not the website. Are you able to access the manuals? When I try, I get all the way to the actual download link (M52 (8215) and the link doesn't work in Opera. IE isn't able to load the website at all. If you can make it work, perhaps you would download the manual and attach it to a post.
 
Thanks, that helped a lot. What was throwing me, is that I didn't realize that the PCI riser assembly and the expansion slot were actually all one assembly, since it fits on both the side and back of the case at the same time, knowing this makes removal very easy. I've now verified that a full size sound card does fit without any problem, so once I get the power problem fixed, the sound is next.

Messing with this computer is not like any of the other standard computers that I've worked on, and little things seem bigger than they are.
 
You're welcome.
Keep us posted and maybe easy up a little on the brute force school of PC Service and Repair and put down the pry bars.
 
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